Lab Consumables and Their Uses: A Handy Guide

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Laboratory equipment allows for experimentation, and lab consumables play a critical role.

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Dabbling with science requires caution. Besides reliable and accurate data, familiarity with equipment is vital in lab research.

The lack of understanding, let alone of equipment use, can lead to dangerous side effects. This blog aims to assist in reducing the risk of potential damage.

Focusing on lab consumables, this guide will give you the push to learn more about them and their uses. Read on!

Lab Consumables Explained

Lab Consumables are the equipment used in laboratories that have a limited capacity. Each consumable has a short number of uses before disposal.

The application may be single — as is the case for pipette tips, gloves, and filter papers. Or multiple-use, such as with syringes, cuvettes, and petri dishes.

Simply put, lab consumables must be replaced once used or worn down. But just because they have common, regular uses does not mean they should not be of the highest quality.

The significance

The importance of laboratory consumables has been acknowledged over the years. But when the recent COVID-19 pandemic hit, it was highlighted even more.

For one, the increased demand for testing materials amid disruption to manufacturing. As a consequence of this effect on the supply chain, shortages occurred.

Researchers have been forced to adapt to in recognition of these shortages. Take the scarcity of pipette tips, for example. Researchers needed to determine viable ways to reduce the potential waste of these tips.

Lab consumables are instrumental in research and development in the science industry. Thus recognising their appropriate use cases and using them efficiently is important.

Kinds of Lab Consumables

1. Pipettes

A pipette measures out or transfers small quantities of liquid. This can be in volumes of millilitres (mL) or microliters (μL).

It is a small tube-like apparatus that can dispense between 1 and 1000µl or even greater volumes. Moreover, it enables sterile and accurate liquid handling.

Pipettes can often be found in molecular biology labs and used in medical tests. Get your pipettes from us below!

Disposable Pipettes Pack of 100

Product code: LP1636

A real dollar-saver! These pipettes eliminate the hazard of broken glass and exposure to infectious materials.

Made from low-density polyurethane, they are non-toxic and can be sealed and refrigerated.

Pipette Serological Polystyrene Sterile

Product code: LP1630S

They feature graduations and are certified non-pyrogenic and DNase, RNase free. Each pipette has a colour-coded filter allowing for easy size identification.

They also have wrappers with lot numbers printed on them. Accurate within ±2% at full volume.

2. Cuvettes

A small tube with straight sides and a circular/square cross-section sealed at one end. Cuvettes can be made of clear, transparent materials like plastic, glass, or quartz.

This piece of laboratory equipment holds samples for spectroscopic analysis. Plastic ones, for one, are used for colourimetric assays and protein tests.

They also have the advantage of being less expensive and disposable. Get your cuvettes from us below!

 

Cuvettes 10-Pack for IEC Spectrometer & Colorimeter

Product code: LQ3792-005

Small, transparent, square-shaped tube containers with very flat surfaces. This pack is compatible with the IEC Spectrometer and Colorimeter.

The light shines through the walls of the cuvette and the solution under study. Ideally used for carrying samples of chemicals for measuring clarity or colour.

3. Syringes

A graduated tube-type of lab consumable with a plunger or glass fitting. It works by sucking in liquids and dispensing them in thin steam.

It is also effective at retrieving liquids from hard-to-reach spots. Syringes perform multiple tasks in research laboratories.

These include the injection of gasses or liquids into chemical apparatus and chromatographs. Note: Sterilised glass syringes can be reused, unlike disposable plastic ones.

Get your gas syringe from us below!

 

Eternamatic Gas Syringe 100ml

Product code: TL1620

Works by inserting or withdrawing gaseous or liquid substances from a closed system. It also has sealed ends and is ground in for free and precise movement.

With 5ml graduations and a capacity of 100ml.

4. Filter Papers

Filter papers allow fluid to get through but block solid particles. They perform a strong absorption effect for liquids.

Their appearance is usually round in shape and made from cotton fibres. The small holes hold out the big solid particles and offer a pathway for liquid.

Depending on the type of paper used, the filtration method can be done fast, intermediate, or low speed. Get your filter papers from us below!

 

Fisherman Filter Paper

Product code: LH1550

This Fisherman Filter Paper is high quality, lint-free, and comes in a pack of 100. Offers medium retention for qualitative analysis and general lab use.

 

Filter Paper Pack of 100

Product code: LH1553

It comes in a pack of 100 and offers medium retention for qualitative analysis and general lab use.

5. Petri Dishes

A shallow cylindrical, round medium used to culture different microorganisms and cells. Also ideal for examining the efficacy of antibiotic drugs in development.

Petri dishes can be made of glass and disposable plastic. They come with a lid that rests loosely at the top and sides.

The transparent feature allows for observing the contents without lifting the cover. Also exposure of the content to light.

Get your Petri culture dishes from us below!

 

Petri Culture Dish Polypropylene

Product code: LP1177PP

Fully autoclavable for easy sterilisation and have a total closed height of 15mm. Great to have around the lab and essential for many biology experiments.

Polystyrene Petri Dish – Pack of 10

Product code: LP1177PS-xx/PK10

Clear and suitable for multiple uses in microbiology and bacteriology. Sold in packs of 10.

6. Gloves

Lab gloves protect against skin absorption of chemicals, as well as burns and lacerations. Also, when doing blood analysis, arterial specimen collection, and more.

Disposable gloves must not be washed, disinfected or re-used. And after every use and disposal, hand washing is a must to avoid any contamination.

There are three disposable gloves used in labs: latex, nitrile and vinyl. Check them out below!

 

Vinyl Gloves – Disposable, 100pc, Powder Free, Clear

Product code: LS300x

Clear, disposable vinyl gloves in a pack of 100 – non-sterile and powder-free. Each glove features a smooth finish for increased tactile sensitivity and comfort.

 

Latex Gloves – Disposable, 100pc, Powder Free, Beige

Product code: LS100x

Beige, disposable latex gloves in a pack of 100. These non-sterile latex gloves are powder-free and easy to fit.

 

Nitrile Gloves – Disposable, 100pc, Powder Free, Blue

Product code: LS410x

Blue, disposable nitrile gloves in a pack of 100. These non-sterile nitrile gloves provide extra protection from tears and punctures.

They are also powder-free and have a textured surface for easier grip.

7. Test Tubes

Appearing cylindrical, test tubes hold and mix chemical solutions, including bodily fluids. They are open at the top and rounded at the bottom.

Usually made of glass or plastic, some are designed to be reused, and others are disposable. Test tube lab consumables are mostly Polyethylene (PE) made.

Get your disposable test tubes from us below!

 

Disposable Test Tube & Cap Set 12x75mm – Pack of 500

Product code: LP1231Px-2/500

Sold in packs of 500, is autoclavable and comes with caps to suit. Made of HDPE.

 

Polypropylene Test Tube – Rimless, Disposable

Product code: LP1231PP

Rimless, disposable, autoclavable, and great to have in any lab. Sold in packs of 100.

8. Beakers

Cylindrical containers with flat bottoms, beakers act as distillation receiving containers. One can hold different layers in an extraction or hold or heat solvent.

They can manage most daily lab use, e.g. measuring, mixing, containment, and decanting. Disposable polystyrene (PS) beakers feature four-way pour spouts.

They are available in sizes ranging from 5mL to 1000mL volumes. Get your plastic beakers from us below!

 

Plastic Beaker – Polypropylene, Low Form with Graduations

Product code: LP1101PP

Low-form plastic beaker with moulded graduations made from high-quality polypropylene. Available in 50ml to 2000ml sizes and a 2×5 set.

9. Funnels

A pipe-like laboratory apparatus, funnels are wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. Usually used for guiding liquid or powder into a small opening, e.g. measuring cylinders.

Using one helps prevent spillage when pouring chemicals from one vessel to another. It can also be fitted with a filter to separate solids from liquids.

Disposable funnels are either transparent polystyrene or translucent polypropylene. Get your filter funnel from us below!

 

Filter Funnels Polypropylene

Product code: LP1504PP

Ideal for filtering liquids when used with a filter paper circle folded into a cone. Made of tough polypropylene to reduce the risk of breakages.

They are durable and lightweight for extra convenience and reliability.

10. Face Masks

When making solutions and cleaning up small spills in a lab, wearing a face mask is a must. Laboratory face masks can range from lightweight procedure masks to sturdy surgical ones.

Respirator types are critical in settings with a risk of inhaling airborne particles. CE and FDA-approved face masks that meet the EN149 standard are ideal.

Get your disposable face masks from us below!

 

Face Mask – Antibacterial, Disposable, 3 Layer

Product code: LS1358

These disposable, antibacterial face masks are CE- and FDA-approved. Made of three-layer non-woven fabric, meeting the EN149 standard.

The Bottom Line

Safe to say, it is handy to get more inquisitive about the lab consumables you are interacting with. Lab consumables are equipment with limited uses.

This means they can only be utilised until they ‘run out’ and must be disposed of. To get the best quality science equipment, buy from Wiltronics here!

 

This article was originally published in November 2020 and has been updated.